The latest revolving-door news regarding the Nevada basketball team can be delivered rather succinctly:

Two go out; one comes in.

And while the math pencils out to a negative-1, coach David Carter will take it for the long-term goals of the team.

Carter announced Wednesday that sophomore guard Marqueze Coleman and junior forward Ronnie Stevens Jr., would both require surgery and be out two to four weeks. Both players missed Saturday’s 82-80 loss to Nebraska-Omaha.

Carter also said junior forward A.J. West has been cleared by the NCAA to play and will make his Wolf Pack debut on Sunday when Nevada (4-7) hosts Iona (5-3) at Lawlor Events Center at 1:05 p.m.

A.J. West (Andy Barron/RGJ file)

West, a 6-foot-9 junior forward brought in this season from Monroe College, is known for his defense. He led the nation’s junior colleges in blocked shots last season (5.1 per game), but was ruled ineligible by the NCAA because he participated in a second year at a prep school before playing at Monroe.

Carter and the Nevada compliance staff appealed the suspension, and Carter said West, who has been practicing with the team all season, was cleared with the stipulation that he meet a certain minimum academically.

Carter told West last week in his office and the two hugged. He told the team at practice Wednesday to cheers and applause.

“(I’m) very excited,” Carter said. “We went to bat for him. I thought he had a great case to be cleared. He’s a great player. I think he’s going to have an impact on this team with his ability to block shots and to rebound. We’re very excited to have him on the floor. Now, is he a savior? He’s not a savior. He’s just another good player that adds depth on a good team.”

Most importantly, he addresses the Wolf Pack’s most glaring weakness — defense. Chris Brown, a 6-11 center who is Nevada’s most polished offensive big man, remains sidelined with a health issue related to blood clots.

“It’s pretty big,” senior point guard Deonte Burton said of West’s eligibility. “I’m happy and excited for him that he got cleared and can play now. With that said, though, we still have several guys out, so it kind of cancels things out. …

“I’m happy for him. Hopefully he can get in there and get his timing back. He’s going to be a little rusty, but that’s OK. He can still rebound for us and do some dirty work down there (in the paint).”

Carter said Stevens, who had been playing well in the last four to six games and earned a couple of starts, is having a recurrence of stress fractures in his legs. Coleman suffered a scratch on his eye during a practice several weeks ago and it was exacerbated when he was hit in the face during the Cal game on Dec. 10.

Carter said he expected the two players to miss the final two non-conference games (Nevada hosts Long Beach State on Dec. 28) and at least the first two conference games — at San Jose State on New Year’s Day and at home against Wyoming on Jan. 4.

The loss of Coleman, the team’s sixth man and back-up point guard, will mostly affect Burton, who already is playing 38.4 minutes per game, nearly three minutes more than any other player in the Mountain West Conference.

“I was playing a lot of minutes anyway, but I’ll probably play even more, if that’s possible,” said Burton, who added that he was in the best shape of his life. “I’m going to be winded out there, but I’ve just got to tough it out.”

While the continuing flux of the roster is causing issues, Carter said the addition of West and the potential for the surgical procedures on Stevens and Coleman to permanently fix their problems will pay dividends when it matters most.

“We just want to get better every day,” Carter said when asked if the addition of West gives them a chance to compete for a MWC title. “We want to try to peak in late February and March. I think if we can compete in late February and March we’ll have a chance. You always start 0-0 in conference.”

About this blog

Longtime RGJ Media reporter Dan Hinxman is the authority on Wolf Pack athletics, bringing you the day-to-day coverage of Nevada’s sports teams. Dan has covered almost everything the Northern Nevada sports scene has to offer and will use his knowledge to bring you authoritative and engaging Wolf Pack content. Follow him on Twitter at @DanHinxmanRGJ.